Courage
by oncerdreamer
Summary: In the fight of his life and the lives of others, James learns the true meaning of the word courage. And she teaches him this and more. Without courage, how do you go on living? CharmingxOC


-Fairytale Land-

The battle was over, James knew it as he lay broken, bruised, bloodied and done for.

He knew he was going to die and he felt afraid. Warm tears streamed down his cheeks and he couldn't move his face. His body suddenly feeling so light. His vision cloudy, shutting down along with the rest of his body. He felt weak and he knew the end was coming soon. But a ray of hope still glistened inside the last ounce of strength he salvaged.

His will to live was almighty. As bad as things are for him he still wanted to push on. He thought of his mother, his life as a whole; his value, he still had more to do, people to help, his happiness. All of the things that mattered still matters. It was enough of a reason to stay alive. He forced his body upward, feeling a thousand pains rush up and down his abdomen, the rest of his body cooperated thankfully. It was time to get up, time to move, hurry. His adversaries could find him and finish off the rest of him along with the rest of the Calvary if there was anyone still left.

James struggled to see, black spots hounding his eyes, making the scenery blurry. He knew there were bodies, he could smell their blood, iron and copper compelled his senses fully awake and he dragged the rest of his way up on his own feet. Finally, he stood, steadying his balance while the remainder of life hung on a thin rope. It wasn't going to break and neither was he.

No more. He wasn't going to die this way. He had to find shelter, something to hide behind so they don't come looking for him. The war is not over but the bloodshed was enough for him to realize he needed to retreat. James wasn't about to give up just because it felt like the reaper was tugging onto his soul.

He stood up, forcing his body to move now even in small spurts, it still was something he could work with. His farm was completely destroyed, his mother possibly held captive by the evil general and that alone made James fight to stay alive, if not for his own self but for his family. He would do anything to stay alive for them. All he had was his mother who was related to a royal but tore her son away to live on a farm land. James knew about his blood relation, he knew about the Kingdom, he also knew his twin brother the crowned prince would have organized this without knowing his was killing his own brother.

He almost had. James wasn't going to allow this to happen. If the royal army had taken his mother then he needed to find a way to ride to the castle and stop them from doing anymore harm. His mother, staying alive for his mother had to be the only answer. James was in an enormous amount of pain. The blood dried on the side of his face it felt like hardened paint when he tried to move his jaw. He couldn't speak, his vocals couldn't comply with his brain to function properly.

He was afraid, they had won, it was already too late.

"Well well, seems as though you are ripe for the picking. I caught you on the best moment of your life. Inevitability." James knew that voice. He looked up and his answers were confirmed.

It was as if he was staring into a mirror. Was it his twin? The Prince? He was dressed like the Prince, wore his doldrums with a fine sword and a mighty grip on the handle.

James managed to find his voice, he didn't know he had any left. "What...ugh, what are you?"

The figure loomed over and crouched down to James' level smirking, his image was too blurry when he came near him. James shrunk back, his skin shivered for what this mirror image of himself was about to do.

"Don't you know? I am everywhere, I am loneliness, you know me when you fail, I am every emotion that keeps you from peace. You created me and now I have been stronger then ever now that I am fully awakened. Did you honestly think you were going to win Shepard's boy? Heh, it's about power now and yours is weak. I could smell the death writhing off your skin and it's wonderful."

James couldn't focus, was this a figment of his imagination? Is he comatose and near the point of death already? Was this just a nightmare?

"You've failed now, she will die and so will you as I am going to take everything you have. Welcome me, embrace me. I live in you because you want me to. It's time." The shine of the sword glistened in the air as the figure raised it higher in line with James' neck.

James' breathing was gone, disappearing by the seconds. He thought he had some strength within him left. He believed he did. Was this figure telling the truth? Was it truly over? Who was this entity brainwashing his thoughts making it so challenging to find courage in an already mangled situation?

James grunted a final time before he fell over, the dried blood sticking to the side of his head even more, fresh drops falling off the side of his temples. He barely felt it, the last sense to leave him was his hearing.

"That's it, now rest. It's over. Your will is mine." The voice sounded like his own. James didn't have much time to process what was going on.

He was hallucinating now as his eyes closed, the remainder of his body submitting.

"Stay back you!" a faint voice called out in the background. James was barely responsive and found his existence slipping completely.

He shut his eyes while slumping over welcoming the warm light that began to claim his soul, his last dire longing to live.

In between worlds, death and presence, he wasn't sure which one gripped him tighter. He was not ready to die but it may not be his choice anymore.

James rested, not knowing if it was for an eternity ahead.


End file.
